Mending Singapore ties

Thai Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama (left) and Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong (bottom).

By Thanida Tansubhapol
Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama said on Thursday he is determined to mend diplomatic ties with Singapore.
First on the agenda is a plan to revive the Singapore-Thailand Civil Service Exchange Programme (CSEP), which was suspended when relations turned sour after the Shin Corporation-Temasek share deal.
The relationship with Singapore should be returned to a level similar to before the Sept 19, 2006 coup d'etat, he said.
"Thailand plans to host the CSEP soon," said Mr Noppadon, adding that Singapore will also host the Singapore-Thailand Enhanced Economic Relationship (Steer) meeting. This would help to increase the amount of trade between the two countries.
The minister said he also asked his counterpart, George Yeo, to take care of some 40,000 Thai labourers working in the island state.
In addition, Thailand will join Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore, which send military personnel to patrol the Malacca Strait, he said.
He also paid a courtesy call on Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong yesterday before leaving for Laos for a two-day official visit which begins today,
On the agenda will be a bilateral meeting with Cambodia officials on the Preah Vihear temple.
Mr Noppadon said Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Nam Hong had reaffirmed that registering the temple as a World Heritage site would not affect border negotiations between the two countries.
According to Mr Noppadon, Mr Hor Nam Hong said Cambodia was ready to issue a statement to confirm that the registration of Preah Vihear temple would not affect the border demarcation process.
"Thailand has no intention of intervening in the registration of Preah Vihear by the Cambodian side, but it must not affect the unsettled border area," said Mr Noppadon.
Phnom Penh is to send Prime Minister Hun Sen's legal adviser and head border negotiator Wa Kim Hong to Thailand soon to discuss the issue.
Thailand will also consider Cambodia's request for 1.4 billion baht in soft loans for road construction.